Machine for paring squashes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. L. WEBSTER. MACHINE POR 'PARING SQUASHBS.

No. 404,452. laltented June 4, 1889.

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2 sheetssheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. L. WEBSTER. MACHINE POR PARING SQUASHES.

No. 404,452. Patented June 4, 1889;

VIIIIIIIIII'A 74277/55555 wwwa/HM N. PETERS. PhnlvLilhngmpher, Wnshmgian, D4 C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED L. VEBSTER, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR PRING SQUASHESl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,452, dated J une 4, 1,889.

Application filed November 3, 1888. Serial No. 289,926. I (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, 'FRED L. WEBSTER, of Danvers, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new I and useful Improvement in Machines for Paring Squashes, dto., of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my improved squash-parer, some of the parts being shown in side elevation; Fig. 2, an elevation representing the machine in use; Fig. `3, an end elevation of the machine enlarged; Fig. 4, a top plan yview of the same; Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective view of the knife detached, and Fig. 6 sectional views illustrating certain details of construction.

Like letters and figures of reference inditain novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler and more effective article of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understoodl by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation In the drawings, A represents the body of the machine, which consists of a frame b supported by legs cl, connected by braces f.

Journaled in the bearings g, on the top of the frame h, is a horizontally-arranged shaft 7i, bearing on its rear end a large gear-wheel 1T. A horizontal shaft j is journaled in bearings k on the frame b, and disposed on said shaft is a pinion Z, which intermeshes with the gear i, a driving-pulley m being secured to the rear end of said shaft. A collar t is secured to the forward end of the shaft h, and equidistant outwardly-curved levers r are pivoted by-one end to said collar.

Longitudinally arranged curved arms p, provided on their outer ends with outwardlyprojecting retaining points or studs q, are pivoted near their centers to the upper ends of the levers r, respectively. A sleeve 'v is fitted to slide on the shaft 71, between the frame b 5 5 and collar t, and the inner ends of the armsp are pi voted to said sleeve, said arms and their connecting mechanism constituting an adjustable holder D for the squashes. A horizontally-arranged' rod tu is fitted to slide longitudinally in a bracket no, secured' i'n the frame directly under the shaft h.

To the outer end of the rod w is secured an upwardly-projectingarm y, forked at its upper end to receive the sleeve o, as shown in Fig. 4, which it partially encircles between annular anges e formed on said sleeve. A bell-crank lever 15 is pivoted to the bracket one end of said lever being bifurcated to receive a stud 25 on the rod w, which is fitted to slide between the arms thus formed. The opposite end of the lever 15 is connected by a pivoted rod 35 to an ordinary treadle 45 pivotedin the body A, a coiled spring 55 connecting the bracket 15 with said treadle and acting contractively to keep the same elevated. The pulley m is connected by a belt G5 with a pulley on a main driving-shaft 75 jo'urnaled in brackets 85, secured to the ceiling 95 of the room. An ordinary rotary knife H, (see Fig. 5,) which consists of a series of radiating blades 14 bolted to a shaft journaled in a frame 24, is employed for paring the squashes. At each end of the blades is a circular guide 34, for preventing them from cutting too deeply into the body of the article being pared. A grooved pulley 44 is secured on one end of the knife-shaft, and a guardplate 54 is fastened to the frame 24, said plate being provided with a handle 64, by which the knife is manipulated. Two vertical supporting-rods 74 and 84 are secured to the frame 24 and are connected by a brace 94. Projecting downward from the ceiling 95 is'a vertically-adjustable rod 13, (see Fig. 1,) provided on the lower end with a horizontallyarranged block 23. A tube 33 is swiveled by its upper end in the block 23 (see Fig. 6) by means of a ball 43, the supporting-rod 84 of the knife being secured in the lower end of said tube by set-screws 53. A grooved pulley 63 is secured to the end of the driving-shaft 75, and a belt 7 3, which passes through the guide-block 23, connects said pulley with the IOO pulley 4l on the knife-shaft. A vertical arm l2 is secured by its lower end in a convenient position on the frame l), the upper end of said arm being provided with a hook 22, upon which the knife II may be hung when not in use.

In the use of my improvement the squash is first divided in half and a section K of it disposed on the holder I). The operator then depresses the treadle, causing the bell-crank lever l5 to throw the rod il; forward, thereby forcing the sleeve y1J on the shaft hin the saine direction. This causes the arms p to move forward and the levers i', pivoted to said arms and to the stationary collar t, to be forced outward and spread or separate said arms, thereby forcing the points q into the body of the squash and securing it firmly on the holder. Power being applied to the shaft 7 5, the shaft is set in motion by the belt G5, causing the shaft 7L to revolve and carry withit the squash on the holder D, secured on said shaft, as described. At the same tinie'tlie knife lI is set in motion by the belt 73, and the operator, grasping the handle (5lon said knife, forces the blades Il thereof against the surface of the squash, thereby quickly removing the rind, in a manner that will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters without a more explicit description. It will be seen that the swiveled tube permits the operator to readily adjust the knife to the surface of the squash. After the rind is removed the operator releases the treadle 4:5, when the spring 55 at once causes the bell-crank lever l5 to draw back the rod w, and thereby close the arms j) of theholder and enable the squash to be readily removed.

IIa-ving thus explained my invention, what I claim isl. The combination. of a rotary knife provided with a pulley and a supporting-rod,an adjustable bracket adapted to be secured to the wall of a room, a tube swiveled in said bracket and adapted to receive said supporting-rod, a main driving-shaft bearing a pulley, and a belt connecting the pulleys on said knife and shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the knife Il, provided with the guard 5l and pulley It, the supporting-rods 741 and S4, the tube 33, swiveled to a stationary object and adapted to receive the rod Si, and adjunctive mechanism for aetnating said knife, substantially as set forth.

The combination of a body or frame, a rotatin shaft j ournaled in said frame, an expansible holder secured to said shaft and provided wiih retaining-points, a sliding rod in said frame bearing an arm in engagement with said holder, a bell-crank lever for actuating said rod, a treadle pivoted in said frame and connected by a rod with said lever, and a spring connecting said treadle and frame, whereby said holder may be opened as the treadlc is depressed and closed as said treadle is released, substantially as described.

il. The combination of the bodyA, provided with the shaft 7i, the holder D, secured to said shaft and provided with the sliding sleeve fr, having lianges e', the sliding rod w, provided with the forked arm y, engaging said sleeve between said flanges, the bell-crank lever l5, for actuating said rod, the treadle'fl, connected with said lever by the rod 35, and the spring 55, connecting said treadle and body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a body provided with a rotating shaft, an expansiblc holder disposed on said shaft, treadle mechanism provided with a spring, whereby said holder may be opened as the treadle is depressed and closed as it is released, a rotary knife provided with a pulley and a supporting-rod, a tube swiveled to a stationary object in which said rod adj ustably secured, and adjunetive mechanism for conjoiutly actuating said shaft and knife, all being arranged to operate substantially as specified.

(5. The rotary knife Il, comprising the frame 2st, blades l-l, and guards 3l, secured to a shaft journaled in said frame, the guard 54, and handle (il, in combination with the supporting-rods 74 and Si, the tube 3S, adapted to receive the rod Si and swiveled in the block 23, secured to the adjustable bracket 13, and adjunetive mechanism for actuating said knife, substantially as set forth.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of the body A, provided with the shafts 7L j, the expansible holder I), secured to the shaft 7i and provided with the sleeve fr, fitted to slide on said shaft, treadle mechanism in said body for moving said sleeve, whereby the holder may be opened and closed, the rotary knife Il, adj ustably secured -in the swiveled tube 33, and a main driving-shaft belted to said knife and the shaft j, whereby said holder and knife may be rotated conjointly, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

FRED L. WEBSTER.

\Vitnesscs:

O. M. SHAW, F. M. SPINNEY. 

